Longding: No. 17th district of Arunachal Pradesh

By Tejang Chakma


On 26 September 2011, Longding becomes the 17 district of Arunachal Pradesh. The new district curved out of insurgency-hit Tirap district, is located 54 Kms off Khonsa, the HQs of Tirap district. Longding which shares boundary with Nagaland and Myanmar is inhabited by the Wancho tribe who are mainly dependent on jhum (shifting) cultivation.

The new district was created with the state Legislative Assembly passing the Arunachal Pradesh (Re-Organization of Districts) (amendment) Bill, 2011 with voice votes. The district will comprise of administrative units of Longding, Kanubari, Pongchao, Wakka and Pumao Lawnu.

The total population of the district is estimated to be about 60,000 people. Few other districts in the state also have low population. 

In June 2010, the state government headed by the then Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu constituted a high power committee to finalise the boundary and creation of the district following approval by the state cabinet on its meeting in August 2009. In August 2010, the Committee submitted its report with recommendation for creation of the district.

State’s Chief Minister Jarbom Gamlin, who is also the Minister in-charge of District Administration, while moving the bill justified the creation of the district on the ground that the area lags far behind in a developmental aspects and appealed the members to support the bill. The Chief Minister added “The creation of the new district will meet the aspiration and long felt demand of the people and also enable the government to run the administration effectively to achieve speedy development in all fronts.”

There was little opposition to the Bill. Earlier, Congress member Newlai Tingkhatra, who represents Kanubari constituency, expressed apprehension that the new district would create tension between the communities over distribution of villages and demarcation of boundary.